Hackescher Markt in Berlin-Mitte is a trendy district and the starting point for Berlin's nightlife.
At the same time, it serves as an important transportation hub. Together with the Hackesche Höfe, the square attracts visitors with a range of gastronomic offerings, a vibrant nightlife scene, shopping and a weekly market.
In this guide, we reveal everything you need to know before visiting Hackescher Markt. Read about local attractions, answers to common questions, the history of the square and more.
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Things to Do at Hackescher Markt
Hackescher Markt, not far from Alexanderplatz, is a popular nightlife area for tourists and locals alike, with a special flair that invites you to stroll, do some shopping and dine out.
However, the historic square also boasts many cultural and historical attractions.
Below you will find some top things to see and do in Hackescher Markt:
1. Go Shopping
Hackescher Markt and its surroundings offer its visitors a true shopping paradise, along with a creative workshop.
From fashion boutiques and flagship stores of international brands to exclusive designer stores and small manufactories with unusual handicrafts, the square offers a wide range of shopping opportunities.
Neue Schönhauser Straße and the adjacent Münzstraße are particularly lined with hip fashion labels.
Be sure to look around the many side streets on Hackescher Markt. There you can see artists' studios of young designers, where it is possible to buy one or the other design object.
2. Discover the Nightlife Scene
Night owls also get their money's worth at Hackescher Markt. Here you will find a huge range of theaters, variety shows, the Central Cinema, as well as numerous clubs and bars. There is a reason why Hackescher Markt is one of the most popular nightlife districts in Berlin.
Many people are attracted by the trendy clubs and the backyard bars in the Hackesche Höfe. Oranienburger Straße near the S-Bahn station is also a popular place to head to, with numerous bars, restaurants and cafés.
On the other hand, at Theater Chamäleon Berlin, you can enjoy contemporary circus performances and variety shows. For those who prefer something crazier, check out the whimsical Monsterkabinett, the somewhat different theme park...
3. Dining out
The gastronomic offerings are as diverse as the rest of the area.
Numerous restaurants and cafés have settled around Hackescher Markt - one follows the other.
The selection ranges from simple snack bars and stalls to trendy eateries and exclusive star restaurants. From currywurst and regional Berlin cuisine to sushi, tapas and the like, everything is there.
4. Hackesche Höfe
Just a stone's throw from Hackescher Markt, the Hackesche Höfe await you between Rosenthaler Straße and Sophienstraße. They consist of eight interconnected and listed commercial courtyards and include 27,000 square meters of apartments, businesses, cultural institutions, workshops, cafés, stores and a cinema.
Walking around, you can admire the Art Nouveau facades, especially of the first courtyard. The shape, size and arrangement of the windows, as well as the use of colored glazed stones, have created two different facades that make the courtyard look like a small public square lined with different houses. Towards the east, the colors blue and white are dominant, and the forms are inspired by Moorish designs. The western side features mostly brown tones and is reminiscent of the former department stores of the Wertheim Group.
5. Weekly Market
Another attraction at Hackescher Markt is the weekly market, which is held in the square on Saturdays.
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., you can find regional delicacies as well as bags, accessories, designer pieces and souvenirs, and more at the Feinschmecker- und Kunstmarkt (gourmet and art market).
- Address: Feinschmecker- und Kunstmarkt, An der Spandauer Brücke 4-5, 10178 Berlin, Germany
6. More Attractions at Hackescher Markt
See an overview of other places of interest here:
- Anne Frank Zentrum: The exhibition "All about Anne" was jointly developed by the Anne Frank Zentrum Berlin and the Anne Frank House Amsterdam and opened in November 2018. One part of the exhibition deals with the life story of Anne Frank, while another makes references between her and the present.
- Monbijou Park: This beautiful park across from the Bode Museum covers nearly 5 hectares. The area on the Spreepromenade is a popular place to relax and sunbathe.
- Haus Schwarzenberg: A colorful mix of small art galleries, studios, commercial businesses, memorials, bars and more can be found at Haus Schwarzenberg.
- New Synagogue Berlin: The New Synagogue Berlin - Centrum Judaicum with its sparkling golden dome is a 19th century synagogue that now serves as a memorial as well as a Jewish cultural, documentation and event center.
- Old Jewish Cemetery: This cemetery is the oldest burial place of the city's Jewish community, after the Judenkiewer Spandau. Used from 1672 to 1827, the cemetery was destroyed by the Nazis. It was restored in 2008.
How to get to Hackescher Markt in Berlin?
- From Alexanderplatz: You can either walk to Hackescher Markt (walking distance about 12 minutes) or alternatively go one stop with the S-Bahn S5, S7 or S9 ("Hackescher Markt").
- From Potsdamer Platz: Take the S-Bahn S1, S2 or S25 and go three stops to "S Oranienburger Straße". From there, you can head towards the Hackesche Höfe and start exploring the area around the square.
FAQ about the Hackescher Markt in Berlin
Hackescher Markt is located close to Alexanderplatz in the district of Mitte. It is situated at the southern end of Rosenthaler Straße.
From Alexanderplatz you can either walk about 12 minutes to Hackescher Markt or go one stop with the S-Bahn S5, S7 or S9 ("Hackescher Markt").
From Potsdamer Platz, it is best to take the S-Bahn S1, S2 or S25 and travel three stops to "S Oranienburger Straße". From there you can head towards Hackesche Höfe and start exploring the area around the square.
Hackescher Markt and its surroundings attract visitors with the newly designed Hackesche Höfe, design stores, fashion stores, small manufactories, restaurants and a weekly market. The many clubs, pubs and bars as well as theaters, cinemas and also make the square a popular starting point for Berlin's nightlife.
Other attractions at Hackescher Markt are the Anne Frank Center, the New Synagogue and the Old Jewish Cemetery and Monbijoupark.
History & Facts about Hackescher Markt
Around 1750, the Berlin city commander Count Hans Christoph Friedrich von Hacke commissioned Frederick II to lay out a square on a former swamp area, which quickly became known as Hackescher Markt.
Thanks to the development of public transportation, the square soon gained in importance. A stone's throw away, the Hackesche Höfe and the Berlin Stock Exchange were built, which became the third-largest stock exchange in the world, next to London and New York.
During World War II and the division of Germany, the square lost importance as Alexanderplatz became the center of East Berlin. Only after reunification and with the redevelopment of existing buildings did new life emerge from the 1990s onwards.
Contact & Map
- Address: Hackescher Markt, 10178 Berlin
- Opening Hours: Accessible around the clock
- Public Transport: S-Bahn: S3, S5, S7, S9 to "Hackescher Markt"; Tram: M1, M4, M5 and M6 to "Hackescher Markt”
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